The Mirror Shatters
by S J Smith
Summary: Three years after being swallowed by Gluttony, Edward finds his way back home - to an Amestris he doesn't quite recognize. Alternate Reality/Dystopia.
1. Chapter 1

The Mirror Shatters

S J Smith

Disclaimer: I promise I will put Arakawa-sensei's toys back, just as soon as I'm done playing with them.

Rating: Teen

Summary: Roy still remembered Edward's words, that it was their mess to clean up, and the way those three boys had waved him off with Riza, Knox and the injured girl.

A.N.: This story takes place in a somewhat alternate reality, diverging from manga chapter 50, _Serpent's Cross_, in that not only did Ed, Envy and Ling get swallowed by Gluttony, Al was swallowed, too. Other divergences take place but you'll have to read to find them out.

* * *

**Chapter One**

The weather had been miserable for the past three days; a mix of rain and sleet falling from the sky. Thick clouds crowded the horizon both day and night. Roy Mustang hated the end of the year, when the cold set in. It reminded him too much of Briggs, except it was wetter. At least the snow in the Briggs Mountains had usually been dry until it melted. This stuff would coat streets and sidewalks, freeze and make everything slick and dangerous.

This was the time of year when Roy would prefer staying inside, his feet pointed at the fireplace, a good book in hand and a glass of whiskey in easy reach. He hated that he couldn't do just that; that he was unable to indulge himself that way, but he still had a job to do. He had made a promise, after all, and he intended to keep it, no matter how difficult it was in the light of all that had happened.

It had been no one's fault, though Roy still liked to hold that blame close to his chest. He could've insisted the Elric brothers and their Xingese friend return to Central City, back when that homunculus had been hunting him for killing one of its kind. Instead, he had allowed those boys to stay behind, to fight while he ran. He still remembered Edward's words, that it was their mess to clean up, and the way those three boys had waved him off with Riza, Knox and the injured girl.

It was the last time Edward Elric, his brother, Alphonse, and their friend, Yao Ling, the Xingese prince, were seen alive.

Fuhrer Bradley had expressed his regrets over the loss of the Fullmetal Alchemist when Roy found out the entire government of Amestris was corrupted. "It's too bad," Bradley had said, "we had definite plans for Edward and his brother, Alphonse." That dark eye had fixed Roy with a glint of cold humor. "The loss of two chosen sacrifices in one day is a setback, as I'm sure I don't need to explain to you. Where else will we find another pair of alchemists with their abilities?"

Roy's foster mother had been proud of his bland expression and his stupid, cheerful answers when he told her about them later. Even in the comfort of her house, he couldn't react the way he wanted, not then. It had been months later; almost half a year, before Roy allowed himself the luxury of mourning the loss of the Elric brothers.

In some ways, Fullmetal's loss was a rallying point for the military, not to mention certain civilians who had dealt with Edward in the past. Roy had been shocked at how many people had put their trust in the boy but wasn't surprised at the turn out for Edward and Alphonse's memorial after the war was over. Fuhrer-in-Standing, Olivia Armstrong, had spoken about the brothers, of their selflessness, of how in their short lives, they'd managed to help bring about so much change in Amestris. Roy could remember the pretty blond girl, Winry Rockbell, standing with her grandmother. Neither woman had cried, though Miss Rockbell's fists clenched so tightly, droplets of blood had rolled out of her palms. That image still seemed burned into his memory, the Elric brothers' dearest friend, unable to cry for them.

"Are you ready?"

Her voice always called him back whenever he drifted and Roy turned, smiling at his wife of two years. "Almost, Riza." Shrugging into his jacket, Roy buttoned it closed, not wanting the cold fingers of winter getting into his clothing. "Now, I'm ready."

Riza pointedly raised her eyebrows and Roy stopped, trying to figure out what she had realized that he'd missed, then touched his head. "The hat."

"The hat." She nodded at the hall tree with a faint smile and Roy picked up his hat as he walked by it, sliding it onto his head and tugging the brim down.

Personally, he would've preferred something with ear flaps but no one had bothered to ask him. And a military issue scarf might not be so bad, either. Of course, the one Elicia had knitted for him – with a good deal of assistance from her mother – helped and Roy unwrapped it from the hall tree as well, arranging it around his throat. "Better?"

Riza's mouth puckered slightly. "I can think of other ways I'd prefer to see you dressed but for work, much better."

"Dressed?" Roy stepped closer to her, sliding his arms around her waist. "Or undressed?" He nuzzled her cheek, moving back to lip at her earlobe.

"Work, Roy." Riza pressed against his chest, her smile hidden in her voice. "Play later."

With an exaggerated whine, Roy released her to gather up her coat, holding it for her so she could slip it on. Checking to make sure they had everything they needed for the day, they left the house, Roy locking the door behind him. A yap got their attention and Hayate raced across the lawn toward them.

Riza took a single step closer to her dog. "Sit. Good boy." Hayate waved his tail in response to her voice, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. "Ready to go to work?"

The dog barked again and fell into step with them as Riza and Roy started down the slippery walk to the waiting car. Roy misstepped, nearly sliding to the ground, catching himself after windmilling frantically. Righting himself, Roy glared at the walk. He could flash dry it but it wouldn't do any good. The sleet was still coming down. "Damn weather."

"We should have salted the walk," Riza murmured, taking his arm now that the show was over. "Are you all right?"

"May've pulled something but I'll be okay. My dignity is more bruised than anything." Roy gently disengaged from her, not wanting to pull her down if he slipped again, and they made their way through the gate and to the car without further mishaps.

* * *

"W-where are we?" Alphonse's voice seemed to be swallowed up in the wet, frigid air.

"Someplace cold."

Edward narrowed his eyes at their friend. "Not helping, Ling." Ling shrugged in response, crooked smile in place, but Edward had slid his gaze past to his brother. Alphonse was already shivering. They needed to find shelter and fast. "If we're really back home," closing his eyes, Edward took a deep breath. It just smelled like wet and forest, like other places he'd been and Edward mentally cursed himself for thinking that he'd know Amestris by smell alone.

Ling shook his head when Edward glanced his way. "That feeling that I always had in your country...it isn't there any longer."

"Great." Mouth thinning, Edward turned his attention to Alphonse again, watching his little brother shiver. Three years in his real body and Al was still sensitive to so many things. Well, if he was going to protect Al, he needed to do something and it wasn't as if shelter was going to suddenly appear out of the ground unless he made it do just that. "Let's see if this works." Touching his palms together, Edward pressed them to the damp ground. Blue lightning crackled and swarmed around him, nearly making Edward lose the calculations in his head, but he persevered, bringing walls of dried earth up out of the forest floor. "It's rough but it'll keep us out of the damp. And we can get some wood and dry it out to burn." Edward panted softly, trying to ignore that spark of hope attempting to ignite in his breast. Just because he could work alchemy didn't really mean anything. He'd been able to work alchemy in the other world, too. "C'mon, Al, get inside and Ling and I'll get that wood."

"I'm not feeble, Brother." Alphonse shot him a glare. "I can collect wood."

Edward opened his mouth to respond, closing it again and nodding. Ling caught his eye, the slight motion of his head letting Edward know his friend would watch out for Alphonse. "Okay. We'll meet back here in fifteen minutes, though. Got it, Al? No traipsing off 'cause you hear a cat meow or something."

"Yes, Brother." Sarcasm coated those two words.

Edward shrugged it off, pointing at Alphonse as a reminder. "Fifteen minutes." Spinning on his heel, he started into the woods, away from the little clearing. There was no light overhead; the cloud cover was too thick. He shuffled along, kicking up branches rather than finding them by sight. It scared him to have no clue where they were. Last time had been bad enough, winding up in the middle of a war zone with creatures even more legendary than chimeras battling each other and humans to get the upper hand. "At least we wound up on the winning side." Shaking his head, Edward reached down to pick up a waterlogged branch. Alchemy could dry it out, same as it could be used to make a shelter for the night. "And tomorrow, maybe we can find out where we are."

Longer than fifteen minutes passed by the time he returned to the shelter, spotting Ling and Alphonse straggling up, both of them laden with branches. The rough earthen dome was more than big enough for the three of them and a fire, though transmuting the damp out of the wood made the interior humid. "The fire will burn it out," Edward muttered as Ling set to starting the flame.

Cocking his head, Alphonse shot Edward a curious look then sighed in relief as the flame shot up, eating greedily at the freshly dried leaves and grass. Ling fed the fire twigs until he was sure it caught then added some of the larger branches. A self-satisfied smile lighting his face, Ling leaned back. "I think that's good."

"Did you see anything out there to tell us where we are?" Edward wished they'd thought to bring more leaves with them for bedding. As it was, their clothes needed to be dried, too, otherwise the fire wouldn't help all that much.

"Not really." Alphonse frowned as he removed his coat, obviously thinking the same thing Edward was, as he touched his palms together, using the energy to remove the damp from the fabric. The air felt nearly as full of water inside their shelter as outside. Edward congratulated himself for taking that into consideration for his calculations. It would suck if the combination of moisture inside and outside made the dome collapse in the night.

"Me next!" Ling shrugged out of his coat, offering it to Alphonse to dry. The orange light of the fire cast his face into odd shadows, making the young man's sharp features seem saturnine. "We'll find out more tomorrow, Ed." He smiled across the flames. "Once it's daylight, you'll probably recognize where we are."

Edward wondered how much of that was an act for Alphonse, since Ling had already said he didn't feel the weird sensation he'd always felt while in Amestris. Edward wouldn't let the thought that maybe that problem had been resolved while they were gone complete. It was entirely too much to hope for. If they'd just managed to return to Amestris, hell, to their world, it would be enough. They could deal with any changes that might've happened – that surely had happened; Edward wasn't that much of a fool to think that nothing would have changed in three years – as long as they were home.

"Brother, stop it." Alphonse's gentle chiding woke Edward from his thoughts. At his confused look, Alphonse jerked his chin up, using it as a pointer while he pulled on his coat. "Your hand. You're clenching it too tightly again."

The sound of hydraulics pushed to their limits intruded and Edward relaxed his hand. "Sorry." He flexed his fingers before dropping his hand on his knee. "Why don't you two try and get some sleep. I'll take first watch." Glancing toward the entrance, Edward could see something that looked suspiciously like snow falling. Mentally cursing the weather, Edward transmuted the moisture out of his coat. Once he was sure Al was asleep, he figured he'd drape it over his little brother.

"I wonder what's happened here since we left." Alphonse had a wistful note in his voice.

"Bet the bastard managed to take the information we gave him and use it to his benefit." Edward crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall.

"Your boss, you mean?" Ling shot Edward a glance. "Isn't that why you told him, so he could do that?"

"Yeah but," Edward rolled his shoulders. "I wanted some of those benefits, myself."

Alphonse grinned slyly. "You just wanted to look like a hero to Winry."

Pointing a finger at his little brother, Edward snarled in response. "I did not. I just think it'd be cool to be able to say that I had a hand in it."

"Or," Ling folded his legs, tucking his hands in the sleeves of his too-large shirt, "you might've been executed for going against the current government." He smiled cheerily as the brothers looked his way. "It could have happened."

"They wanted us as their chosen sacrifices, remember?" Edward waved his hand between them. "They wouldn't have killed us until they needed to. In the mean time, we'd have figured a way to keep from getting killed." He said that last with a cocky grin, hoping it didn't look forced. After the whole experience of being swallowed by Gluttony and using the Philosopher's Stone that made up part of Envy to open a gate into a new world, Edward wasn't sure that the homunculi couldn't have found a way to keep him and Al under their thumbs.

At least some good had come out of it – by them going through they gate, Al's soul and body had been reunited. Edward remembered his surprise at finding his brother's body, skeletal, near death from starvation, but still i_Alphonse_/i, when he came through to the new world. Of course, they'd wound up in the middle of a war zone but that led to the believable story that they'd been trying to rescue Alphonse from his captors. Al had been too out of it to protest and by the time he was completely coherent, the story stuck – at least, until they got Al healthy enough to travel. By then, Edward had been searching for a way to get back home – Envy, no surprise, had taken off without them, too entranced by this new place to care about returning to Amestris – leaving him and Ling to figure out ways to take care of the hospital bills Al was racking up – and Edward without his military stipend.

i_But that was then_,/i Edward thought, glancing at his brother, unaware of the soft smile that lit his careworn face. If they really had made it home…no, better to not go that route, not until there was proof. His hopes had been dashed too many times in the past few years for him to believe in anything without evidence.

"Thinking about Winry?" Alphonse's voice cut through Edward's musings, making him start in response. "You have that funny little smile on your face."

"What? No. I wasn't thinking about her!" He felt his cheeks heat up despite the truth in his protest.

Ling chuckled. "I'd say you are, Ed." He sighed lingeringly. "Of course, Winry is a prize. Do you really think some tall young man hasn't snatched her up while you were gone?"

"Height isn't everything!" Edward snarled across the fire at Ling. "Winry's got more," words failed him as he tried to come up with the perfect retort. "She's better than that," he finally settled on, knowing it wasn't nearly as good as it could be but praise for Winry in areas other than her prowess as a mechanic left him tongue-tied, still.

"You do realize you're the shortest person here?" Ling's eyebrows danced.

Edward was all too aware of it. Once he filled out and had access to a steady supply of food, Alphonse shot up like a stalk of wheat. "I've gotten taller." He glared at the other two, folding his arms for emphasis. "I'm just not freakishly tall like some people I could name."

"Major Armstrong?" His smile nearly splitting his face, Alphonse giggled at Edward's glower.

"He's a special case, all by himself. So is Mr. Curtis." Edward scowled at Alphonse. "Shouldn't you be bedding down, anyway? I said I'd take the first watch."

"Yes, Brother." Alphonse managed to say it without rolling his eyes this time but it was all too evident in his voice.

Edward narrowed his eyes until his brother actually curled up before the fire then turned his attention to Ling. Raising his hands to forestall any argument, Ling stretched out, pillowing his cheek on his curled arm. Listening to their breathing evening out, Edward fed a few more branches to the fire. _If we are home, where should we go first? Rezembool? Central City? The bastard Colonel might still be there. Don't know if I want to announce us to just any military base, though. Who knows what lies may've been told since we've been gone_. The corners of his mouth turned down at that idea. _I suppose we'll find out soon enough, if this is Amestris._ With a faint sigh, Edward flexed his metal digits, staring down at them pensively. _Winry, are you okay? Did you miss us? Will you be happy to see us or angry that we vanished for so long?_ He shivered at the thought of the wrench reception he probably was going to get. _I wouldn't blame you for being angry, Winry, I just hope…_ Shaking his head, Edward didn't allow that thought to complete. If Winry had moved on, she had. It wasn't like he'd ever given her any indication that he'd wanted her to wait – and for all she knew, he and Al were dead and never returning. _I wouldn't want you to pine away, waiting for us._

Closing his hands, Edward told himself he meant it, too.

* * *

Waking with a start, Alphonse shook his bangs out of his eyes. While nowhere as long as his brother's or Ling's, his hair was about to get to the point where he'd want it cut again. Maybe, wherever they were, he'd be able to find a barber. With a delicious little shiver, he sat up, patting back a yawn before stretching his arms over his head. His spine cracked in protest to the move but that just felt good. The shelter that Edward had transmuted last night had remained waterproof and the fire and body heat of three people had made it pretty cozy. Alphonse was almost loathe to leave it but his body insisted that he needed to, and very soon. Awkward from the need to pee, Alphonse made his way past Ling, noting his brother was absent from where he'd been sitting last night. His mouth quirking, Alphonse duckwalked out of the shelter, only slightly dismayed to see snow had fallen during the night. The cold bit at him as he left the warmth and Alphonse shivered, wrapping his jacket closer around his body. It was almost frigid enough to chase him back inside but his bladder had other concerns than freezing, so Alphonse made his way to a stand of trees, following a trail of footprints that had to be Edward's.

Alphonse walked behind one of the larger trees. He'd worry about where his brother had gotten off to after he took care of his personal business. The cold made that somewhat difficult, he found out; his body was suddenly leery of performing in the cool air. "C'mon, you woke me up, do something," he grumbled, sighing in relief when the stream finally came. Shaking himself dry, Alphonse let the foreskin slide back into place and tucked everything back inside. Bodily functions taken care of, at least for the moment, Alphonse glanced around. The tracks that his brother had left went on through the woods, breaking the white surface of the snow. The bitter cold made Alphonse wonder why his brother had wandered off into the woods but Edward was nothing if not tenacious. Grimacing, Alphonse debated on following his brother. Edward would yell if he did but Al would hate himself if something happened and he wasn't available to help. Decision made, he followed the tracks.

Edward had evidently decided he was going to find out where they were. Alphonse wondered how long it had been since he'd had started out. It was obvious that Edward hadn't woken Ling to take the second watch. Alphonse certainly hadn't been woken for his turn. If he had, he wouldn't be out here trying to find his headstrong brother, who'd just wandered off in the snow, without telling anyone. "Stupid Brother."

At least the sun was shining this morning, rather than the cold, sleety snow from the night before, and Alphonse tramped along in his brother's footprints, hoping to find Edward before too much time had passed. Ling wouldn't appreciate being left behind if there was a discovery to be made. In that way, he and Edward were perfectly matched: neither wanted the other to one up him. Alphonse took a perverse pleasure in beating both of them to the punch. If nothing else, the expressions on their faces when they realized that he'd gotten in ahead of them made it all worthwhile.

The whoop startled Alphonse, making him freeze as he tried to pinpoint the direction of the shout. It echoed around the trees, not giving Alphonse a good focal point. He cupped his hands to his ears but by then, the sound was dying down. Putting his little fingers in his mouth, Alphonse whistled shrilly, cocking his head, waiting for a response.

A whistle answered him, two sharp pitched pipes, and Alphonse felt tension he hadn't realized leaving his body. It didn't matter what world he was on, Edward could find trouble just by waking up. That his brother had responded with the 'all's clear' made Alphonse relieved. He could already hear the faint sounds of someone moving quickly through the woods – another surprise – he and Edward had learned to be quiet, both as hunters and hunted.

Edward broke out of the underbrush, twigs stuck in his hair, scrapes on his cheek and forehead, a huge smile on his face. "Al, c'mon, get Ling."

"Brother, what," realization dawned and Alphonse felt a stillness that had nothing to do with the cold weather descend. "Are we home?"

The manic grin was answer enough and Alphonse scrambled back toward the rough building, hearing his heart pounding in his ears. _Home, we're finally home_. "Ling! Ling, get up! We made it!"

* * *

Riza Mustang waited in the anteroom for her appointment with President Fuhrer Armstrong, files cradled in her arms. Though she stared straight ahead, her thoughts were anywhere but on this meeting, quietly rolling through this morning's discussion with Roy. He'd threatened to melt the snow and ice off the sidewalk, to flash-dry it afterward, so he wouldn't slip again. Riza, as always, had a hard time believing that her husband could be quite so clumsy as he made out. There were things he'd kept hidden for so long that she wondered if this was another of his ploys, just one she wasn't really in on.

"Captain Mustang? The President Fuhrer is ready to see you now."

Getting to her feet, Riza nodded politely at the adjutant, entering Olivia Armstrong's office. This was not the first time she had been here; that visit had happened so long ago, when Fuhrer Bradley had assigned her to be his assistant in an attempt to keep Roy under his thumb. The room had seen very little changes in the décor, a pair of crossed swords still hung behind the President Fuhrer's desk, an Amestrian banner rose above that. The chair was still covered in dark leather and between it and the desk, dwarfed every other piece of furniture in the room. Across the way, under the windows, a long table was covered with papers and notes, a map with figures set on it, and a young woman hurriedly scratching something in a pad.

"Captain Mustang." Olivia Armstrong's voice always reminded Riza of smoky honey, the way it curled and oozed, both. Roy had told her once that he'd gotten hard just listening to Armstrong speak. Riza thought she understood that completely.

"President Fuhrer." Riza saluted and only dropped her hand when Armstrong nodded at her. "I have the morning reports from the East."

"Statistics?" Armstrong stood with her head bowed as Riza recited the latest information on wounded, dead and missing in action; how much land had been taken and how much regained; what supplies needed to be replenished and, finally, that the tanks that had been created in Briggs were doing their job. That brought a flash of something to the President Fuhrer's eyes and the faintest curl to her mouth. The Northern Wall still took pride in the accomplishments of the soldiers from Briggs.

"Finally, the minor earthquake to the west of the city."

Armstrong raised her head in reaction to that. "Any word on the cause?"

"As of this moment, it is still believed to be natural in occurrence." Riza met Armstrong's gaze. "However, precautions have been taken and scouts have been sent to the area."

"Excellent." Armstrong turned her attention to the window though Riza doubted the President Fuhrer's mind had wandered. "I expect you will keep me informed of whatever the scouts turn up?" Riza thought there might be a teasing lilt to that question though Armstrong's stance didn't change, not even a glance over her shoulder.

"Yes, sir."

"Then that will be all for now, Captain." Armstrong turned from the window then. "Oh, please tell your husband that I appreciate his invitation. Tomorrow night is good for me if it's good for him."

"Tomorrow night. Yes, sir." Riza knew all too well how to hide any type of shock but she thought that Roy might've warned her about whatever it was that he had planned with the President Fuhrer. If she was coming to dinner, it would be good to know. "I'll be sure to let him know."

"Excellent." Armstrong nodded, her smile nearly as cool as the wind outside. "Oh, Captain?" she called as Riza was nearly out the door.

"Yes, sir?" Riza turned around, waiting patiently.

Armstrong gave her an actual smile. "I wanted to let you know that Winry Rockbell will be in Central day after tomorrow." She raised her hand, flexing the automail fingers. "It's time for my tune up."

"Thank you, sir, for that information." Riza saluted before spinning on her heel and marching out of the office, wondering just what in hell her husband was planning. For all she knew, it was a night out with 'the boys' – Havoc and Breda were in town and Fuery was still assigned to Roy. If he wanted it to be a surprise for her, she'd have to complement him on it. "Sneaky bastard," she muttered under her breath, not noticing the corporal who stared at her with wide eyes, hearing that come out of her mouth.

And Winry, returning to Central. Not that it wasn't expected; she was the President Fuhrer's mechanic, and Winry would travel to wherever Armstrong might need her. Though it had been some time since Riza had actually had a chance to speak with Winry, she knew that the young woman's success wasn't attributed to her two most famous – or infamous, as the case might be – clients, but her own skills. Wondering if Winry would be staying at a hotel or with Gracia and Elicia Hughes, Riza made a mental note to call her friend. Perhaps they could make arrangements to meet with Winry while she was in town. Too bad it wouldn't be the same night that Armstrong was doing whatever with her husband.

Corners of her mouth twisting down fractionally, Riza figured she'd find out soon enough what Roy was angling after. He was excellent at keeping secrets, after all – but she knew each and every weak point he had. With that thought to cheer her, Riza made her way back to her office to await the reports from the scouts and find out if any new information had come in from the front.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The checkpoints were always the worst part of any travel. Winry handed over her papers for the fourth time in as many hours, trying to keep from snapping at the lieutenant, standing in the aisle of the passenger car, swaying slightly with the motion. "You're traveling to Central City, Miss Rockbell?" he asked, studying her papers as if they might contain clues to what happened to President Fuhrer Bradley. Winry could've told him but that information was classified and on a need to know only basis. She hadn't really needed to know but, having been there at the time of his demise, harrowing though it had been, she did know precisely what happened to him. Those nightmares still woke her up.

"Yes, sir." Winry tried to be polite but, to her own ears, she just sounded cranky. Before the question could be asked, again, she went on. "I have a customer in Central City. I'm an automail mechanic." As if that last couldn't be read on her papers but sometimes, people overlooked that bit of information.

"Customer, eh?" The lieutenant looked over the top of her papers at her, his eyes so pale, they almost seemed colorless. "Anyone I know?" He smirked, licking his narrow lips.

Shrugging, Winry smiled back, though her grin was far more brittle than amused. "You might have heard of her – Olivia Armstrong."

The lieutenant blinked at that name, eyes suddenly widening in realization then narrowing sharply. "President Fuhrer Armstrong?"

The game was growing old and tiresome. Winry nodded, holding out her hand for her papers. "Who do you think designed her automail?"

Sputtering, the lieutenant opened his mouth, probably to say something stupid, like, 'But you're just a girl!' He looked into her face, actually acknowledged her for the first time since he'd asked for her papers, and whatever he saw there made him back down. "Here you are, Miss Rockbell." Handing her papers back, he touched his cap. "Have a pleasant trip."

Winry resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at his back, contenting herself with dropping into her seat noisily. She knew it had to make her look childish but she didn't care. Yes, there was a war going on, but there was always a war going on somewhere. Drachma still made sorties against Briggs, in the north. The Xingese encroached from the east and the desert. That didn't change the fact that people had lives to live and jobs to do and Winry was determined to make the modifications that President Fuhrer Armstrong requested then return to Rush Valley, where she could take care of her regular customers.

The scenery outside the window wasn't enough to distract her. Winry studied the farmland the train carried her through, the fallow fields and snug houses reminding her of Rezembool. Snow dusted the land, covering it more thickly the farther north she traveled. By the time the train reached Central City, Winry could feel the cold weather outside seeping through the passenger car's exterior. Her jacket did little to stave it off and Winry reminded herself that she should've thought better before dressing to travel. A medium weight dress would be fine for a winter in Rush Valley, while it was downright chilly in Central. To make matters worse, she'd left a day early and no one would be waiting for her at the station. Taxi cabs were being hailed right and left by the time she'd disembarked the passenger car, passed through the final checkpoint and collected her luggage; a tool kit, her personal bag and the carrying case for Fuhrer President Armstrong's new hand.

Winry knew that she could call Armstrong's office and have someone come and get her but that meant she'd have to wait in the chilly station for an indeterminable amount of time. While Armstrong's name usually commanded respect, who knew what the President Fuhrer was scheduled to do today and, unless Winry managed to get hold of someone who knew her name personally, her request might not be taken seriously.

The crowd dwindled down to a few passengers and the people who worked at the station and on the locomotive. Winry didn't pay any attention to the tenders as they loaded up for the next leg of their journey, though she did spare a glance at the engineer as he checked and oiled the huge wheels that moved the locomotive. A part of her itched to go over and talk to the man but she restrained the fifteen year old girl she used to be, turning instead to find a lone taxi cab idled near the curb. Winry raised her hand and her voice, calling to the driver, who stepped out of his vehicle at her hail.

"If you could drive me to Mayflower Street." Winry helped load her things into the boot of the cab, knowing that Gracia and Elicia Hughes would be more than happy to take her in for the few days she planned on being in Central City.

"No problem, missy." The cab driver touched the brim of his hat as he closed the door to the back seat, climbing in the front himself. "Are you in town for business or pleasure?" he asked, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.

Winry cupped her chin in her hand, looking out at the city through her window. "Business. I've only ever made it to Central City and it supposed to be a vacation one time."

"Really? When was that?"

"A little over three years ago, now." Winry didn't mind these questions, the simple give and take of passing the time. Courtesy, she knew, went a long way.

"Have you been to Central City since then?" The reflection of the driver's grey eyes met hers.

"Yes, one of my customers lives here. You could say I'm almost a revolving door citizen." Winry's smile flattened as she said it. Armstrong had suggested she move to Central City but Winry didn't like it here enough to make it her home. She wanted to return to Rezembool, even as close as it was to the Eastern Border and the battleground, but Granny insisted she remain in Rush Valley and finish her training. Winry wasn't sure there was much more training she could do but she followed her grandmother's wishes, at least for now. Someday, the fighting would be done and she could go wherever she wanted.

Mayflower Street remained an upscale neighborhood, the houses and yards well kept. Even in the cold weather, there were people outside, tending to the steps and sidewalks, shoveling snow and sweeping them clean. Winry felt some of the tension in her shoulders drain away at the sight of the fenced-in yard and the three-story house. The driver helped unload her luggage and carry it up the walk to the front door, where Winry used the brass knocker. The door opened just a few minutes later, a woman blinking out at her, her expression clearing and a smile brightening her face.

"Winry! Please come in." She gestured for the driver to bring the luggage inside, the two women hugging briefly before Winry turned to pay the driver.

"Have a nice stay, missy," he told her, tipping his hat. "And if you ever want to consider Central City as pleasure, you call my company and ask for Frankie. I'll make sure you have a good time."

"I will." Winry's smile faded as the door closed and she turned to Gracia. "I know I should've called but," she began, only to have her words stopped by Gracia's headshake.

"It's fine, Winry. You know you always have a place to stay here. Come in, you must be frozen! Did you forget that it was winter?" She smiled teasingly, indicating Winry should follow her. "I'll make some tea to warm you up."

Leaving her things in the entryway, Winry followed Gracia into the house. "Elicia must be at school?" She didn't hear the little girl, who usually was right behind her mother or even opening the door herself.

"She is. It's hard to believe, isn't it?" Gracia led the way into a cozy kitchen with the southern facing windows, setting a kettle on a burner and lighting it. "It's been so quiet during the day with her gone. I need to find something to do with my time than read and knit and listen to the news reports on the radio." She waved a hand at the table, motioning for Winry to sit while she got the tea ready. "The hospital is always looking for volunteers but I'm afraid I have no stomach for blood. Even wrapping bandages…well, I could do that, I suppose. But what about you? Why are you in Central a day early?"

"Mr. Adams canceled his appointment for today." Winry watched as Gracia opened a tin full of cookies, setting it on the table then going to the ice box to fetch cream. "Since I didn't have anyone else scheduled, I decided to come ahead." Wriggling her toes in her boots, she felt like she was starting to thaw now that she was inside this warm house. "I thought it'd be nice to spend some extra time with you and Elicia, with Memorial Day coming up."

Gracia's hand hesitated in reaching for a tin of tea, and Winry saw the other woman's fingers tremble before she plucked the container from the cabinet. "I appreciate you thinking of us like that," Gracia said solemnly.

Winry turned her attention to the windows, giving Gracia her space. Some things still cut like a knife, no matter how much time had passed. Winry knew she'd need support getting through Memorial Day, too. Sure, she'd go to the Memorial commemorating the men and women lost during the coup. She'd lay her flowers down on that cold rock, leaving them to wither with so many other bouquets, and she'd stand stony-eyed while President Fuhrer Armstrong made her yearly speech about the progress of the country and how all of it had come about from the losses of the men and women who protected it. And afterward, she'd go back to Rush Valley and pretend she wasn't affected, all over again, by the names chiseled in that piece of granite.

The scent of tea brought her back to the present, the steaming pot set in the middle of the table, two cups and a bowl of sugar with two spoons and saucers joining it. "It'll take a few minutes to steep," Gracia was saying as she took a seat next to Winry. "I hope you like it. Roy got it for me – he wouldn't say where," she laughed softly, "so I have the feeling it's a Xingese tea. He said Riza was partial to it."

Smiling faintly in response, Winry took a cookie from the open tin to keep from having to say anything. She had spoken briefly to the Mustangs in the past and had even been extended an invitation to their wedding. Winry hadn't been sure why; though she admittedly admired Riza Mustang, she didn't know the woman or the man she had married very well. She'd wondered if it was because of Ed and Al; a sort of strange balm to someone's conscience, and had declined attending, though she'd sent a gift that Mr. Garfiel assured her would be in good taste. The thank you note she'd received had been a lot less impersonal than Winry had expected and opened a tentative communication between her and the Mustangs.

The tea finished steeping, Gracia poured them each a cup, offering Winry the sugar bowl. "There was a tremor yesterday."

That was definitely something different. "Like an earthquake?"

Gracia nodded. "There was no report of bombings, though." Relief laced her voice and Winry couldn't help but bob her head in understanding. While Central City was located, true to its name, at the very heart of Amestris, the threat still existed that someone with a grudge might get past all the checkpoints and blockades to the center of the country. "It was on the news report last night but Elicia and I felt it, too, during her bath. The water in the tub made waves and the cabinet on the wall rattled."

"That sounds scary." Winry wondered what it might've felt like.

"It really wasn't, more curious than anything." Gracia waved off any concern with a soft chuckle. "Elicia couldn't wait to tell everyone at school about it."

"I'll bet her classmates will have stories, too." Winry smiled at the image in her head, of Elicia talking to kids her age. "Granny told me about a minor earthquake back home once, a tremor, like you said. It shook some of Granny's tools off the workbench. They made so much noise falling, Granny thought someone was breaking into the house. She grabbed the pipe wrench that she always kept next to her bed and ran downstairs. Granny woke up a little while later, at the bottom of the stairs. She said that it was like the steps shook out from under her."

They shared a laugh at that and spent some time catching up, sipping tea and nibbling on cookies. The chill in Winry's body slowly thawed, though she still wanted to change into something warmer. After all, they wouldn't be spending all of their time in the kitchen and would probably need to fetch Elicia from school. And tomorrow, Winry thought, she'd contact President Fuhrer Armstrong to set up a time for automail maintenance, just in time for Memorial Day.

* * *

"So we've made it home?" Ling shielded his eyes with both hands, staring at the city below.

"This is it." Edward could barely contain his glee. "You saw what was left of that building, those furrows. Those are from Gluttony's attacks."

"That means that's Central down there." Alphonse wrapped his arms around himself, whether to stay warm or because he was excited, Edward couldn't tell. Regardless, he slung an arm around his brother's shoulders, giving him a little shake. "And Central means that we have friends who can help us get to Rezembool and you back to Xing."

The corner of Ling's mouth tilted up in a lopsided grin. "Are you sure you still have friends?"

"What the hell does that mean?" Letting go of his brother, Edward turned on Ling.

Ling spread his hands. "The last time we were here, your superior was going to confront his superior about the homunculi, yes?" His face became grim. "What if he lost?"

Beside Edward, Alphonse sucked in his breath. "Brother," he whispered.

Waving off their doubts, Edward shook his head. "The bastard wouldn't die. He'd come out of this smelling like a rose. He's the hero of Ishval, remember?"

"Still," Ling was unconvinced. "Maybe we should do some reconnoitering first, yes? Make sure it's safe to enter the city?"

Grumbling, Edward agreed, especially after Alphonse insisted that Ling could be right and it was better to be safe than sorry, blah blah blah. All he really cared about was getting to someplace where Al could be out of the weather and he had the chance to make a couple of phone calls. Three years was a long time but Edward knew Pinako Rockbell would tell him where her granddaughter was – after she yelled at him – and Mason could tell him how to get in touch with Master Izumi. Maybe they'd even forgive him once they knew that Al had his body back and they were finally home. Then again, both Izumi and Winry were likely to beat him within an inch of his life before offering any mercy. Al, at least, would probably only get it from Izumi. Winry liked Alphonse too much to beat him up like she did Edward. Then again, it could depend on how hurt she felt, and Winry certainly had a temper. She might decide that Al deserved some wrench thumping, too.

Edward ignored the little niggle at the actual idea of Winry beating on someone else – hell, Al had said she'd beaten up Ling before – and Ling corroborated. Well, it was Winry's decision anyway – she was the woman with the wrench. She might decide to clobber all of them.

"So, we'll reconnoiter," Alphonse was saying, "and then what?"

"That's what we'd like to know." The strange voice made Alphonse's eyes widen. Before they could move, someone said, "Ah-ah; turn around slow. Hands up where we can see 'em." Edward stiffened, his mouth tightening at the metallic clicks behind them.

Obeying – but only after Al hissed – Edward faced the man and the woman, his hands about shoulder level. He could almost feel Ling's affable smile and relaxed a little bit, spying the black cable sweaters that he'd seen Havoc and Hawkeye wearing before. "Hey, this is great!"

"Stay still!" the woman barked, pistol pointed at Edward's face, and he jerked his hands back up.

"These soldiers don't seem nearly as friendly as your colonel," Ling mumbled.

"Speak up." The man took a step closer, beady eyes narrowed. "What was that you said, spy?"

"Spy?" Shock made Alphonse repeat the word. "Who's a spy?"

"Yeah, you're jumping to conclusions here." Edward started to lower his hands again only to hear a sharp warning from the woman. Rolling his eyes, he snarled, "We're not spies."

"Yeah? You've got one of them with you and he's not in chains." The man's pistol indicated Ling.

Something sick and cold wormed its way into Edward's stomach at that gesture. Beside him, he heard Alphonse gasp in reaction while Ling, to his left, stiffened. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He wished these two were in the traditional military uniforms. Knowing their ranks would give him an edge.

"Means that anyone with slant eyes like his and not in chains is likely to be spying on the good people of Amestris." The man's teeth flashed briefly. "So we'll be taking you in."

Edward sighed loudly, rolling his eyes toward the grey sky. He scratched at his head with his left hand, catching a glimpse of Al's gaze flickering his way. They dove at the same time, Edward shoving Ling as he went down, rolling as he hit the ground to slam his palms together and then into the snow. The flash, like blue lightning, crackled and surged, and a pair of hands rose from the ground to snatch the two soldiers off the ground, forcing their arms into positions where their weapons would be useless.

"Alchemists!" the man snarled though something in his expression told Edward that his shock outweighed his fury.

Thumbing his nose, Edward got to his feet to dust the snow off his clothing. "I hate it when someone points a gun at me. What do you think, head into town? See what sort of trouble we can stir up?"

"Brother." Alphonse gave him a firm look. "They could freeze before we get back."

"They knew the consequences when they came out here." Edward waved off his brother's concern. "You two are soldiers, right? You knew it was a possibility you might die when you confronted us. It's all part and parcel of being a dog of the military." He stepped closer to the two hands containing the soldiers. "You do what they say even when it might get you killed." Teeth gleaming in a feral smile, Edward plucked the pistols out of their hands. "Did you drive out here?"

The man's expression was dumbfounded. "What?"

"Yes." The woman spat out, obviously discomfited by the loss of her weapon.

Edward handed one of the pistols to Ling, who gave it a once over. "And where are the keys?"

"Why should we tell you?" Her glare reminded Edward of Winry, though that's where the resemblance ended.

"Well, my brother thinks it's a bad idea if I leave you out here to freeze but I don't really like to take prisoners. They're usually a lot of work, trying to escape, that sort of thing." Edward scratched the back of his head again.

"You're not going to kill them." Alphonse folded his arms, lower lip jutting out.

"Then my brother starts arguing about what I should do and what I shouldn't do." Edward shrugged eloquently, turning his back on the soldiers and giving Alphonse a wink. "I mean," he drawled, "leaving you two out here is a great idea, as far as I'm concerned."

"Freezing to death is a cruel fate." Ling rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps it would be kinder to simply execute them."

The man blanched and the woman blinked hard, though neither spoke. Edward silently commended them on that, though he let his grin get even wilder.

"You're both terrible." Alphonse snatched the pistols from Edward and Ling, emptying the clips and scattering the bullets in the snow. "They're just doing their jobs." He studied the soldiers, the corners of his mouth turning down. "Even if they probably would've tried to kill us if we didn't do what they said."

"Let's not forget that," Edward muttered, earning a glare from his little brother.

"So what do we do with them?" Ling nodded at the prisoners. "Now that you won't let us kill them."

"No killing." Alphonse wagged a finger at Ling, who smiled brightly in response. "Though we really shouldn't leave them here to freeze, either." He absently tossed the pistols into a snowdrift and wrapped his arms around himself. "Brrr. I forgot how cold it gets here."

"We sure as hell aren't taking them with us." Edward didn't like Al shivering that way. "I say we leave them here. Once we're in town, we can call somebody to come get 'em." He didn't like the way the pair glanced at each other, the expressions on their faces worrisome. "What, is this the scut patrol? If we call in your whereabouts, no one's gonna come?"

The man started to speak, cutting off abruptly at the woman's wordless growl. He glared back at her, a staring contest that left neither the victor though the man turned away first, his dark eyes narrowed at the trio in front of him. "You're not even getting into town with him," his chin jerked at Ling, "and if your papers aren't in order - "

"Stand down!" the woman shouted, cutting him off effectively.

Edward pressed his gloved knuckles against his mouth, considering, then shrugged abruptly. "Eh. Don't worry. Somebody'll come to get you." He turned, waving over his shoulder, hearing Ling and Al following, though his brother seemed to be reluctant. At least he waited until they were out of earshot for the soldiers before breaking silence.

"Brother, what did they mean, papers?"

"I guess Ling's right, Al." Edward stared grimly at the city laid out below them. "Amestris has changed."

The walk to town was pretty much what Edward expected – long and tiring. He hated walking through snow. The cold always made his automail ports ache, not that he'd say anything. Al was suffering, too, clutching his jacket tight around him. Ling didn't seem affected at all, lucky bastard. Edward noticed their friend taking little forays ahead and behind, checking things out. At first, it had irked him, but Edward realized Ling was looking out for them. They'd been through a hell of a lot in the other world and it would be a crock if they made it back to this one only to get captured or worse by the Amestrian military.

By the time they'd reached the slums of Central City, Edward was ready to call a halt for the day. He knew it wouldn't be a good idea to stop here; too close to the hillsides they'd hiked down. "And we left a trail for anyone to follow," he muttered, looking back.

"W-we could erase it with a-alchemy." Alphonse's teeth chattered and his nose was bright red. He needed to get out of the cold. They all did, and into some warm, dry clothes.

"I don't know if that's a good idea." Alchemy could get rid of the trail but only as far as Edward could see it. It wouldn't blot it out as far back as they'd walked. And, since this slum lay at the bottom of the hill, it probably wasn't worth the energy he'd have to invest in wiping the snow clean. Not to mention, a transmutation that size would create a pretty big light show – and that, more than anything, made up Edward's mind for him. "Eh, we'll risk it. They can follow us to this place but beyond that," he shrugged.

Alphonse wrinkled his nose and Edward wondered if his little brother had caught a whiff of what smelled like an open sewer. "We kind of stand out." He indicated their clothing; their appearance in general.

Edward thought they were lucky it was so cold. No one wanted to be outside in this. If it was warmer, someone might've signaled an alarm. Then again, the slums could be the safest place for them for the moment. If only they could find a place to rest and get warm before they started into Central. It'd be good if they could talk to someone about these papers but that would just send up a signal flare that Edward didn't want to deal with.

"So, we go where no one will notice." Ling's smile stretched across his face when the brothers turned to him and he tilted his head up, pointing at the roofs of the ramshackle buildings.

Not realizing he'd wrinkled his nose just as Alphonse had, Edward blew out his breath in a huff, fogging the air around his face. "It'll be slick."

Ling mimed clapping his hands together. "Make spikes in your shoes."

"And you're supposed to be a genius, Brother," Alphonse muttered, earning a glare from Edward.

"All right." He shook off his irritation. "Let's get moving before someone does see us." Edward patted his brother on the shoulder, gestured at Ling to come along, and led them quickly through the narrow streets.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** The Mirror Shatters

**Author:** S J Smith

**Rating:** Teen

**Disclaimer:** Arakawa is the creator of this universe. Bones pays her bills. I just write fanfic.

**Summary: ** Roy still remembered Edward's words, that it was their mess to clean up, and the way those three boys had waved him off with Riza, Knox and the injured girl.

**A.N.**: This story was _**completed**_ for the LJ community, FMABigBang, for the 2010-2011 round. Thank you to D. M. Evans and Ishte for their comments and edits, and to Sweetnessnarose and Yoporock for the art they created for this story.

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As I believe this story is better with the art attached, and I can't do that here, I'd like you to go to Archive Of Our Own and read it there. The link is:

http:/ archive of our own. org/ works /182696 /chapters /268730

Copy and paste, taking out the spaces, and you can go see the story in its entirety. I hope you enjoy it, a lot of hard work went into this story, and not just on my end!

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